A man from Mellieha was fined e465 after he pleaded guilty to illegally storing and manufacturing fireworks in a number of garages in Mellieha for the past three years.

Anthony Caruana pleaded guilty, before presiding Magistrate Audrey Demicoli, to storing explosive material and transporting it around the island without a police licence.

Prosecuting inspector Paul Bond told the court that Caruana cooperated with the police and did not cause any problems.

Following his guilty plea, Magistrate Demicoli fined Caruana e465.

Caruana is the seventh person in recent days to have been held by the police in connection with the alleged illegal possession of fireworks-related explosives.

The police received a tip off and found explosive material in a series of garages in an area near Popeye’s Village.

Police officers and members of the Armed Forces’ Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit found explosive substances as well as petards that were still in the process of being manufactured.

In a separate arraignment before the Gozo court, 48-year-old Joseph Spiteri from Xaghra pleaded guilty to storing fireworks and explosive material in his Ford truck.

Before presiding Magistrate Paul Coppini, Spiteri pleaded guilty to storing fireworks in his truck and transporting them to Malta without a police licence on Saturday.

Following his guilty plea, Magistrate Coppini fined him a total of e209 and confiscated Spiteri’s truck.